Viscoelastic cleaning compositions with long relaxation times

Abstract

A thickened aqueous cleaning composition is viscoelastic, with a long relaxation time to provide a thick solution with consumer-acceptable pour properties. The composition has utility as a drain opening composition or as a hard surface cleaner having a cleaning-effective residence time on non-horizontal surfaces. The composition includes a cleaning active, and a binary thickener comprising a betaine or sulfobetaine having a C 14-18 alkyl, or C 10-18 alkylamino or alkylamido group, and an organic, anionic counterion. The composition preferably has a relaxation time of at least about 5 seconds and a relative elasticity between about 10-500 sec/Pa.

I claim: 
     
       1. A thickened cleaning composition having a viscoelastic rheology comprising, in aqueous solution (a) an active cleaning compound, present in a cleaning effective amount; and   (b) a viscoelastic thickening system consisting essentially of a betaine or sulfobetaine having a C 14-18  alkyl group, or a C 10-18  alkylamino or alkylamido group; and an anionic organic counterion, selected from the group consisting of C 2-6  alkyl carboxylates, aryl carboxylates, C 2-10  alkyl sulphonates, aryl sulphonates, sulfated C 2-10  alkyl alcohols, sulfated aryl alcohols, and mixtures thereof; and wherein the betaine and counterion are present in an amount to thicken and result in a viscoelastic rheology.   
     
     
       2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the active cleaning compound is selected from the group consisting of acids, bases, oxidants, reductants, solvents, enzymes, detergents, and thioorganic compounds, and mixtures thereof.   
     
     
       3. The composition of claim 1 wherein the counterion is sodium xylene sulfonate, and the betaine is cetyl dimethyl betaine.   
     
     
       4. The composition of claim 1 wherein the composition has a relative elasticity between about 10-500 sec/Pa, and a relaxation time greater than about 5 seconds.   
     
     
       5. The composition of claim 4 wherein the active cleaning compound is present in an amount of from about 0.05% to 50% by weight; the betaine is present from about 0.1% to 10.0% by weight; and the counterion is present in a mole ratio to the betaine of between about 1:10 and 3:1.   
     
     
       6. A thickened viscoelastic drain opening composition comprising, in aqueous solution (a) a drain opening active, selected from the group consisting of acids, bases, oxidants, reductants, solvents, enzymes, detergents, thioorganic compounds, and mixtures thereof; and   (b) a viscoelastic thickening system consisting essentially of a betaine or sulfobetaine having a C 14-18  alkyl group, or a C 10-18  alkylamino or alkylamido group; and an anionic organic counterion, selected from the group consisting of C 2-6  alkyl carboxylates, aryl carboxylates, C 2-10  alkyl sulphonates, aryl sulphonates, sulfated C 2-10   alkyl alcohols, sulfated aryl alcohols and mixtures thereof; and wherein the betaine and counterion are present in an amount to thicken and result in a composition relative elasticity between about 10-500 sec/Pa.   
     
     
       7. The composition of claim 6 wherein the organic counterion is an aryl sulfonate.   
     
     
       8. The composition of claim 6 wherein the composition has a percentage diluted of less than about 25%, as determined by pouring a first quantity of composition into a second quantity of standing water and measuring undiluted product delivered.   
     
     
       9. A thickened viscoelastic drain opening composition comprising, in aqueous solution (a) an alkali metal hydroxide;   (b) an alkali metal hypochlorite; and   (c) a viscoelastic thickening system, consisting essentially of a C 14-18  alkyl betaine or sulfobetaine; and an anionic organic counterion, selected from the group consisting of C 2-6  alkyl carboxylates, aryl carboxylates, C 2-10  alkyl sulphonates, aryl sulphonates, sulfated C 2-10  alkyl alcohols, sulfated aryl alcohols and mixtures thereof; and wherein   (c) is present in an amount sufficient to thicken and result in a relative elasticity between about 10-500 sec/Pa, a density greater than that of water, and a viscosity of at least about 20 cP.   
     
     
       10. The drain opening composition of claim 9 and further including 0 to about 5 weight percent of an alkali metal silicate, and 0 to about 5 weight percent of an alkali metal carbonate.   
     
     
       11. The composition of claim 9 wherein the composition has a percentage diluted of less than about 25%, as determined by pouring a first quantity of composition into a second quantity of standing water and measuring undiluted product delivered.   
     
     
       12. The composition of claim 9 wherein component (a) is present in an amount of from about 0.5 to 20 weight percent; component (b) is present in an amount of from about 1 to 15 weight percent; the betaine is present from about 0.1 to 10 weight percent; and the counterion is present from about 0.01 to about 10 weight percent.   
     
     
       13. A thickened viscoelastic hypochlorite composition comprising, in aqueous solution (a) a hypochlorite-producing source, present in an amount sufficient to produce a bleaching-effective amount of hypochlorite; and   (b) a viscoelastic thickening system, consisting essentially of a C 14-18  alkyl betaine or sulfobetaine; and an anionic organic bleach-resistant counterion, selected from the group consisting of C 2-6  alkyl carboxylates, aryl carboxylates, C 2-10  alkyl sulphonates, aryl sulphonates, C 2-10  sulfated alkyl alcohols, aryl alcohols, and mixtures thereof; and wherein   (c) is present in an amount to thicken and result in a relative elasticity between about 10-500 sec/Pa, and a viscosity of at least about 20 cP.   
     
     
       14. The composition of claim 13 wherein component (a) is present from about 0.1 to 15 weight percent; component (b) is present from about 0.1 to 10 weight percent; the betaine is present from about 0.01 to 10 weight percent; and a mole ratio of betaine to the counterion is between about 10:1 and 1:3.